bims-merabr 2024-09-08 papers

bims-merabr

Biomed News

on Metabolic rewiring in aggressive breast cancer

Issue of 2024–09–08
eight papers selected by
Barbara Mensah Sankofi, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center

TRIM28 promotes tumor growth and metastasis in breast cancer by targeting the BRD7 protein for ubiquitination and degradation.
Mammary hydroxylated oestrogen activates the NLRP3 inflammasome in tumor-associated macrophages to promote breast cancer progression and metastasis.
TP53AIP1 induce autophagy via the AKT/mTOR signaling pathway in the breast cancer cells.
The GPR30 Receptor Is Involved in IL-6-Induced Metastatic Properties of MCF-7 Luminal Breast Cancer Cells.
USP36 promotes tumorigenesis and tamoxifen resistance in breast cancer by deubiquitinating and stabilizing ERα.
Single-cell analysis of breast cancer metastasis reveals epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity signatures associated with poor outcomes.
Analysis of neuroglia and immune cells in the tumor microenvironment of breast cancer brain metastasis.
PAI1 Regulates Cell Morphology and Migration Markers in Trastuzumab-Resistant HER2-Positive Breast Cancer Cells.

Cell Oncol (Dordr). 2024 Sep 02.

TRIM28 promotes tumor growth and metastasis in breast cancer by targeting the BRD7 protein for ubiquitination and degradation.

Changning Xue, Hanbing Meng, Weihong Niu, Mengna Li, Jianxia Wei, Shipeng Chen, Lemei Zheng, Yumei Duan, Hongyu Deng, Faqing Tang, Songqing Fan, Ming Tan, Wei Xiong, Ming Zhou.

   PURPOSE: Bromodomain-containing protein 7 (BRD7) is downregulated and functions as a tumor suppressor in many types of cancers including breast cancer, and the dysregulation of BRD7 expression is closely related to the development and progression of breast cancer. Whereas little attention has been focused on the regulation of BRD7 protein levels in breast cancer, which needs to be further elucidated.
METHODS: The protein stability of BRD7 in breast cancer cells and BRD7 protein level in breast cancer tissues was examined by Western Blotting. The potential E3 ubiquitin ligase proteins that interact with the BRD7 was screened by coimmunoprecipitation combined with mass spectrometry analysis in MDA-MB-231 cells. We proved the interaction between BRD7 and tripartite motif containing 28 (TRIM28) through Co-Immunoprecipitation (Co-IP) and immunofluorescence assays. Co-IP and ubiquitination assay were used to explore the specific binding domain between BRD7 and TRIM28 and the ubiquitination site of BRD7. The effects of TRIM28 on the BRD7 protein stability and ubiquitination level was investigated by qPCR, Western Blot and Co-IP assay. CCK-8 and clone formation assays were carried out to assess the effect of TRIM28 on proliferation ability of breast cancer ells. Transwell assay and wound healing assay were used to investigate the effect of TRIM28 on breast cancer cell invasion and migration. Flow cytometry was used to detect the effect of TRIM28 on cell cycle and apoptosis of breast cancer cells. In addition, we confirmed effect of TRIM28 on tumor growth and metastasis by xenograft and metastatic mouse models. We designed some recovery assays to explore the role of recovery BRD7 in TRIM28-mediated promotion of malignant progression of breast cancer in vivo and in vitro. Finally, the clinical significance of TRIM28 and BRD7 was proved by immunohistochemistry.
RESULTS: In this study, we demonstrated that BRD7 was an unstable protein and might be regulated by ubiquitination in breast cancer; furthermore, we found that the Coiled-Coil region of TRIM28 could directly bind to N-terminal of BRD7, and TRIM28 mediates BRD7 ubiquitination and degradation dependent on K21 by acting as a potential E3 ubiquitin ligase. Moreover, TRIM28 promoted cell proliferation, migration, invasion, xenograft tumor growth and metastasis, thus playing an oncogenic role in breast cancer. Furthermore, the restoration of BRD7 expression in breast cancer significantly reversed the promotional effects of TRIM28 on malignant progression both in vitro and in vivo. In addition, TRIM28 was highly expressed in the biopsy tissues of breast cancer, and its expression was negatively correlated with BRD7 expression and positively correlated with TNM stage and poor prognosis of BC patients.
CONCLUSIONS: Our findings provide a novel mechanism by which TRIM28 significantly facilitates BRD7 ubiquitination and degradation, thus promoting breast cancer malignant progression. Targeting the TRIM28/BRD7 axis might be a novel potential strategy for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer.

Keywords:  BRD7; Breast cancer; TRIM28; Tumor progression; Ubiquitination

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1007/s13402-024-00981-3
Int Immunopharmacol. 2024 Sep 02. pii: S1567-5769(24)01555-8. [Epub ahead of print]142(Pt A): 113034

Mammary hydroxylated oestrogen activates the NLRP3 inflammasome in tumor-associated macrophages to promote breast cancer progression and metastasis.

Han Zhao, Jiahao Xu, Ya'nan Zhong, Shiqing He, Zhixiang Hao, Bei Zhang, Zhao Liu, Xueyan Zhou.

  Breast cancer remains one of the primary causes of cancer-related death. An imbalance of oestrogen homeostasis and an inflammatory tumor microenvironment (TME) are vital risk factors for the progression and metastasis of breast cancer. Here, we showed that oestrogen homeostasis was disrupted both in breast cancer patients and in a transgenic MMTV-PyMT mouse model of breast cancer, and significant levels of hydroxylated oestrogen accumulated in the mammary tissues of these patients and mice. We also observed that tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) were the main population of immune cells present in the breast TME. TAM-dependent tumor metastasis could be triggered by hydroxylated oestrogen via NLRP3 inflammasome activation and IL-1β production. Mechanistically, TAM-derived inflammatory cytokines induced the expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in breast tumor cells, leading to breast tumor invasion and metastasis. Conceptually, our study reveals a previously unknown role of hydroxylated oestrogen in the reprogramming of the TME via NLRP3 inflammasome activation in TAMs, which ultimately facilitates breast cancer cells proliferation, migration, and invasion.

Keywords:  Breast cancer; Metabolism; NLRP3 inflammasome; Oestrogen; Tumor microenvironment

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.intimp.2024.113034
Cancer Biol Ther. 2024 Dec 31. 25(1): 2398297

TP53AIP1 induce autophagy via the AKT/mTOR signaling pathway in the breast cancer cells.

Shutian Liu, Ting Xu, Xi Chen, Li Tang, Longjiang Li, Li Zhang, Yongqiang Yang, Jiayi Huang.

  Breast cancer ranks the first in the incidence of female cancer and is the most common cancer threatening the life and health of women worldwide.Tumor protein p53-regulated apoptosis-inducing protein 1 (TP53AIP1) is a pro-apoptotic gene downstream of p53. However, the role of TP53AIP1 in BC needs to be investigated. In vitro and in vivo experiments were conducted to assess the biological functions and associated mechanisms. Several bioinformatics analyses were made, CCK8 assay, wound healing, transwell assays, colony formation assay, EDU, flow cytometry, Immunofluorescence, qRT-PCR and Western-blotting were performed. In our study, we discovered that BC samples had low levels of TP53AIP1 expression, which correlated with a lower survival rate in BC patients. When TP53AIP1 was up-regulated, it caused a decrease in cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. It also induced epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and protective autophagy. Furthermore, the over-expression of TP53AIP1 suppressed tumor growth when tested in vivo. We also noticed that TP53AIP1 up-regulation resulted in decreased levels of phosphorylation in AKT and mTOR, suggesting a mechanistic role. In addition, we performed functional rescue experiments where the activation of AKT was able to counteract the impact of TP53AIP1 on the survival and autophagy in breast cancer cell lines. This suggests that TP53AIP1 acts as an oncogene by controlling the AKT/mTOR pathway. These findings reveal TP53AIP1 as a gene that suppresses tumor growth and triggers autophagy through the AKT/mTOR pathway in breast cancer cells. As a result, TP53AIP1 presents itself as a potential target for novel therapeutic approaches in treating breast cancer.

Keywords:  TP53AIP1; autophagy; breast cancer; mTOR

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1080/15384047.2024.2398297
Int J Mol Sci. 2024 Aug 18. pii: 8988. [Epub ahead of print]25(16):

The GPR30 Receptor Is Involved in IL-6-Induced Metastatic Properties of MCF-7 Luminal Breast Cancer Cells.

Ana Carolina Tirado-Garibay, Betzabe Ruiz-Barcenas, Julia Isabel Rescala-Ponce de León, Alejandra Ochoa-Zarzosa, Joel E López-Meza.

  Luminal breast cancer has a high incidence worldwide and poses a severe health threat. Estrogen receptor alpha (ER-α) is activated by 17β-estradiol (E2), and its overexpression promotes cancerous characteristics. Luminal breast cancer is an epithelial type; however, the cytokine IL-6, secreted by cells within the tumor microenvironment, stimulates the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and promotes metastasis. Also, IL-6 decreases ER-α levels, favoring the tamoxifen (TMX) resistance development. However, genes under E2 regulation continue to be expressed even though this receptor is absent. GPR30 is an alternative E2 receptor present in both luminal and aggressive triple-negative breast cancer and is related to TMX resistance and cancer progression. The roles of GPR30 and IL-6 in metastasis have been individually established; however, their interplay remains unexplored. This study aims to elucidate the role of GPR30 in IL-6-induced metastatic properties of MCF-7 luminal breast cancer cells. Results showed that GPR30 contributes to the E2-induced MCF-7 proliferation because its inhibition with the antagonist G15 and the Pertussis toxin (PTX) reduced it. Besides, GPR30 upregulated vimentin and downregulated E-cadherin levels in MCF-7 and TMX-resistant (R-TMX) cells and is also involved in the IL-6-induced migration, invasion, and TMX resistance in MCF-7 cells. In addition, in MDA-MB-231 triple-negative cells, both basal and IL-6-induced metastatic properties were related to GPR30 activity. These results indicate that the GPR30 receptor regulates the EMT induced by IL-6 in breast cancer cells.

Keywords:  GPR30; IL-6; epithelium-mesenchymal transition; luminal; metastasis

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25168988
J Exp Clin Cancer Res. 2024 Aug 31. 43(1): 249

USP36 promotes tumorigenesis and tamoxifen resistance in breast cancer by deubiquitinating and stabilizing ERα.

Ting Zhuang, Shuqing Zhang, Dongyi Liu, Zhongbo Li, Xin Li, Jiaoyan Li, Penghe Yang, Chenmiao Zhang, Jiayao Cui, Mingxi Fu, Fangyu Shen, Lei Yuan, Zhao Zhang, Peng Su, Jian Zhu, Huijie Yang.

   BACKGROUND: Breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer in women globally. Over-activated estrogen receptor (ER) α signaling is considered the main factor in luminal breast cancers, which can be effectively managed with selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) like tamoxifen. However, approximately 30-40% of ER + breast cancer cases are recurrent after tamoxifen therapy. This implies that the treatment of breast cancer is still hindered by resistance to tamoxifen. Recent studies have suggested that post-translational modifications of ERα play a significant role in endocrine resistance. The stability of both ERα protein and its transcriptome is regulated by a balance between E3 ubiquitin ligases and deubiquitinases. According to the current knowledge, approximately 100 deubiquitinases are encoded in the human genome, but it remains unclear which deubiquitinases play a critical role in estrogen signaling and endocrine resistance. Thus, decoding the key deubiquitinases that significantly impact estrogen signaling, including the control of ERα expression and stability, is critical for the improvement of breast cancer therapeutics.
METHODS: We used several ER positive breast cancer cell lines, DUB siRNA library screening, xenograft models, endocrine-resistant (ERα-Y537S) model and performed immunoblotting, real time PCR, RNA sequencing, immunofluorescence, and luciferase activity assay to investigate the function of USP36 in breast cancer progression and tamoxifen resistance.
RESULTS: In this study, we identify Ubiquitin-specific peptidase 36 (USP36) as a key deubiquitinase involved in ERα signaling and the advancement of breast cancer by deubiquitinases siRNA library screening. In vitro and in vivo studies showed that USP36, but not its catalytically inactive mutant (C131A), could promote breast cancer progression through ERα signaling. Conversely, silencing USP36 inhibited tumorigenesis. In models resistant to endocrine therapy, silencing USP36 destabilized the resistant form of ERα (Y537S) and restored sensitivity to tamoxifen. Molecular studies indicated that USP36 inhibited K48-linked polyubiquitination of ERα and enhanced the ERα transcriptome. It is interesting to note that our results suggest USP36 as a novel biomarker for treatment of breast cancer.
CONCLUSION: Our study revealed the possibility that inhibiting USP36 combined with tamoxifen could provide a potential therapy for breast cancer.

Keywords:  Breast cancer; ERα; Stability; Tamoxifen resistance; USP36; Ubiquitin

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1186/s13046-024-03160-2
J Clin Invest. 2024 Sep 03. pii: e164227. [Epub ahead of print]134(17):

Single-cell analysis of breast cancer metastasis reveals epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity signatures associated with poor outcomes.

Juliane Winkler, Weilun Tan, Catherine Mm Diadhiou, Christopher S McGinnis, Aamna Abbasi, Saad Hasnain, Sophia Durney, Elena Atamaniuc, Daphne Superville, Leena Awni, Joyce V Lee, Johanna H Hinrichs, Patrick S Wagner, Namrata Singh, Marco Y Hein, Michael Borja, Angela M Detweiler, Su-Yang Liu, Ankitha Nanjaraj, Vaishnavi Sitarama, Hope S Rugo, Norma Neff, Zev J Gartner, Angela Oliveira Pisco, Andrei Goga, Spyros Darmanis, Zena Werb.

  Metastasis is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths. It is unclear how intratumor heterogeneity (ITH) contributes to metastasis and how metastatic cells adapt to distant tissue environments. The study of these adaptations is challenged by the limited access to patient material and a lack of experimental models that appropriately recapitulate ITH. To investigate metastatic cell adaptations and the contribution of ITH to metastasis, we analyzed single-cell transcriptomes of matched primary tumors and metastases from patient-derived xenograft models of breast cancer. We found profound transcriptional differences between the primary tumor and metastatic cells. Primary tumors upregulated several metabolic genes, whereas motility pathway genes were upregulated in micrometastases, and stress response signaling was upregulated during progression. Additionally, we identified primary tumor gene signatures that were associated with increased metastatic potential and correlated with patient outcomes. Immune-regulatory control pathways were enriched in poorly metastatic primary tumors, whereas genes involved in epithelial-mesenchymal transition were upregulated in highly metastatic tumors. We found that ITH was dominated by epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity (EMP), which presented as a dynamic continuum with intermediate EMP cell states characterized by specific genes such as CRYAB and S100A2. Elevated expression of an intermediate EMP signature correlated with worse patient outcomes. Our findings identified inhibition of the intermediate EMP cell state as a potential therapeutic target to block metastasis.

Keywords:  Bioinformatics; Breast cancer; Oncology

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1172/JCI164227
Cancer Biol Ther. 2024 Dec 31. 25(1): 2398285

Analysis of neuroglia and immune cells in the tumor microenvironment of breast cancer brain metastasis.

Haixin Mo, Xin Zhang, Liangliang Ren.

  Breast cancer stands as the most prevalent cancer diagnosed worldwide, often leading to brain metastasis, a challenging complication characterized by high mortality rates and a grim prognosis. Understanding the intricate mechanisms governing breast cancer brain metastasis (BCBM) remains an ongoing challenge. The unique microenvironment in the brain fosters an ideal setting for the colonization of breast cancer cells. The tumor microenvironment (TME) in brain metastases plays a pivotal role in the initiation and progression of BCBM, shaping the landscape for targeted therapeutic interventions. Current research primarily concentrates on unraveling the complexities of the TME in BCBM, with a particular emphasis on neuroglia and immune cells, such as microglia, monocyte-derived macrophages (MDMs), astrocytes and T cells. This comprehensive review delves deeply into these elements within the TME of BCBM, shedding light on their interplay, mechanisms, and potential as therapeutic targets to combat BCBM.

Keywords:  Breast cancer; brain metastasis; immune cells; neuroglia; tumor microenvironment

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1080/15384047.2024.2398285
Life (Basel). 2024 Aug 20. pii: 1040. [Epub ahead of print]14(8):

PAI1 Regulates Cell Morphology and Migration Markers in Trastuzumab-Resistant HER2-Positive Breast Cancer Cells.

Asiye Busra Boz Er, Idris Er.

  HER2-positive breast cancer is a significant cause of mortality. Overcoming trastuzumab resistance requires a deeper understanding of its molecular mechanisms to develop effective therapies. This study investigates the role of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI1) in migration and drug resistance in trastuzumab-resistant HER2-positive breast cancer. Trastuzumab resistance poses a significant challenge in clinical management due to its association with aggressive disease behaviour and limited treatment options. This study focuses on PAI1, a key player in the TGF-β signalling pathway, which is implicated in cancer progression and metastasis. Trastuzumab-resistant cell lines (SKBR3 and HCC1954) demonstrated markedly elevated PAI1 expression levels, up to 40-fold compared to parental lines. This elevation was accompanied by increased expression of migration markers such as Col4a1, Fibronectin, ICAM1, Timp2, and Vimentin. Through overexpression and silencing experiments, we observed that modulating PAI1 levels significantly impacts cell morphology, transitioning cells from an epithelial to mesenchymal phenotype. Importantly, combining trastuzumab with aleplasinin, a PAI1 inhibitor, synergistically reduced PAI1 expression in both parental and resistant cell lines. This suggests a potential therapeutic strategy to overcome trastuzumab resistance. These findings emphasise PAI1 as a critical mediator of migration and therapeutic response in HER2-positive breast cancer, offering insights into novel treatment approaches targeting PAI1 to improve clinical outcomes in drug resistance.

Keywords:  HER2; PAI1; TGF-β; breast cancer; metastasis; morphology

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3390/life14081040